Thursday, December 01, 2005

Tea Review 40 - Green Earth Chai & Cool and Collected

It's official. I don't like chai. Time and time again I've tried it, attempting to keep an open mind each time around, but the simple fact remains - I don't like chai. I think there's only one spice commonly used in chai that puts me off the stuff, but I haven't managed to isolate it yet.

My latest adventure in chai tasting was a green variety from Dallas-based tea merchant Tempest Tea. While I'm certain that it's quite a nice blend, as far as these things go, the fact remains - and stop me if I've mentioned this - I don't like chai.

I've sampled chais made with black tea, green tea and rooibos. I'm trying to work out which one I dislike the least, but have yet to come to a conclusion. And so it was that I approached Spotted Leopard's Cool and Collected with some trepidation. After all, it claims to be a blend of green tea, mint and spice - which leads one to the conclusion that it might be kind of chai-like.

But I actually liked this one. The mint provided just the right touch and the spice, whatever it is, is obviously not the dreaded Ingredient X found in most chai. Like most of the flavored teas I've tasted, this is not one I'd turn to on a regular basis, but it would be okay for a change of pace now and then.